Chapter 13: Nen [2]

Chapter 13: Nen [2]

"Again, that word. What's Nen?" Isaac asked. He was starting to think he was missing something important.

The old man walked to Isaac.

"You don't know Nen? That's ridiculous! There's no way someone who has no concept of Nen can survive here." The old man laughed in mockery which further confused as well as angered isaac.

"I'm telling the truth. This is the first time I'm even hearing the word Nen."

"Well what about when we first met. You were using Zetsu to try and hide yourself."

Isaac paused.

At the time, he did nothing but wait for the man to approach and...hold his breath.

'It seems like Fetoh was onto something.'

"I've heard that word before, but I don't know what it means. All I did was hold my breath."

Netero stared blankly at Isaac, soon opening his mouth.

"Why don't we make a deal, boy. You tell me how you arrived here and everything that happened to you, and I will tell you what Nen is. Deal?"

The old man stretched out his hand to his Isaac's, to which Isaac stared, soon shaking.

"Fine, but it isn't as much as you're expecting it to be. I woke up here one day in Aionthos, without knowing how I'd arrived."

Technically, Isaac was telling the truth. He didn't fully understand how it was possible for him to be magically transported here.

Additionally, he thought this was a much easier way of explaining his situation rather than trying to convince the old man he was from another world.

Isaac proceeded to explain every detail of what happened since his arrival.

The Aroze, the connection between the Cranium and the plantlife, how the Cranium spread through pollen and their victims.

Soon explaining how he met Fetoh, the Tower, her betrayal and the Sanguine.

As Isaac finished explaining how he'd ended up outside Aionthos, the old man had his eyebrows raised and jaw wide open.

They had long since taken a seat on the ground after Isaac took his time explaining everything.

"Not much, you say?" The old man asked defeatedly.

"I guess I took my time explaining it."

"A Doctor who was assassinated and became the Cranium in order to protect the Aroze?"

Isaac nodded.

"How intriguing. You've only further proven my theory, boy?" The old man smiled.

"It's your turn now. What's Nen?"

"Ah, of course. Nen is simply one's life energy, their Aura. It lives within every living thing, even the air. I believe you've noticed the heavy atmosphere?"

Isaac quickly nodded his head.

It was one of the first things he noticed upon arriving, and still his most hated fact about the Dark Continent.

"That's because the Nen in the Dark Continent is chaotic and abundant."

"Usually, Nen runs through the air calmly, however, here, the Nen seems to be at a constant war with itself, making everything fall out of balance."

Isaac furrowed his eyebrows.

"Out of balance?"

"Indeed. You've only been able to notice the lack of oxygen and thick feeling in the air, however, one of the most dangerous things about the Dark Continent is the inability to manipulate Nen like usual."

"The atmosphere has a peculiar effect on one's Nen, making it heavy and viscous, therefore harder to manipulate, near impossible to learn to control before being met with danger."

"If Fetoh died and her Post Mortem Nen activated before the war started, it could explain why Aionthos experienced so much loss. Fetoh, or the Cranium, destroyed it from the inside."

"It's a possibility." The man mumbled after a few seconds.

"Boy, you've found something truly important. Tell me, what is your goal?" Asked the old man.

Isaac, despite being confused by the sudden change of subject, answered truthfully.

"To survive."

The old man said nothing. After a few seconds, his smile returned.

"Believe it or not, without the use of Nen, you'll die once stepping foot outside this city."

"You were lucky the enemy was the Brion, who only see using the plants. Every other beast I've encountered will be able to detect the tranquil Nen in your body, oozing outside you."

"You'll stick out like a sore thumb."

Isaac was both pleased and heartbroken to hear this.

Yes, it provided him with a better chance at surviving, but his survival was also becoming more and more complicated by the second.

"What am I supposed to do about that?"

"It's simple. It's a technique I created for the Dark Continent specifically. In order to blend in, seem as though you're nothing more than the air, you must imitate it."

"The Nen in the air is rough and vigorous, therefore, you control your Nen to be rough and vigorous."

"Where you would usually control your Nen so that it doesn't leak out of your body, this time, stop the leak, but also train your Nen to be passively chaotic and unfriendly."

The old man stood up, walking behind Isaac and holding out his hand.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Asked a flustered Isaac.

"Look straight ahead. You want to learn Nen, don't you?"

Saying this, Isaac grimaced, soon looking straight ahead. However, nothing happened.

"Yes."

"Then I'll teach you."

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